The Lands, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) announced this week that its officials, in conjunction with officials from several other government entities, have repossessed a plot of land in Nape whose concession had previously been annulled by the government.

According to a DSSOPT statement on Wednesday, the officials carried out the repossession of the idle plot covering an area of 6,480 square metres earlier that day.

The rectangular plot covered in weeds is bordered by Alameda Dr. Carlos D’Assumpção, Avenida Sir Anders Ljungstedt, Rua Cidade de Braga and Rua Cidade do Porto.

According to the Official Gazette (BO), the government announced the annulment of the plot’s land concession in May 2016, as the leaseholder had failed to develop the plot listed in the concession agreement within the contractual period.

According to the gazette, the plot, the concession of which was granted in 1992, was initially slated for a commercial-cum-residential project – consisting of two 13-storey towers on top of a three-storey podium.

According to Wednesday’s statement, the government had ordered the leaseholder to clear all the items off the plot and return the plot to the government by a specified deadline.

The statement said that as the leaseholder had failed to return the plot to the government after the deadline, DSSOPT officials and officials from the several other entities took action and repossessed the plot on Wednesday.

According to the website of the Land Registry and Mapping Bureau (DSCC), the plot that was repossessed on Wednesday is one of the two still undeveloped plots of land in Nape. 

This photo released on Wednesday shows a long-undeveloped plot of land covered in weeds in Nape that was repossessed by the government on Wednesday. Photo: DSSOPT